How is Independence Day celebrated in Pakistan?

Many people dress in gren and white which are Pakistan’s official colours during Pakistan’s Independence Day

Pakistan marks the event one day earlier than India on August 14 with fireworks and gun salutes in the capital, Islamabad.

President Mamnoon Hussain hoisted the national flag at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, and scores of Pakistani military and government officials and other dignitaries.

Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa raised a massive national flag on a 400 foot (122-metre) pole as crowds chanted patriotic slogans and pay respects at the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of the country.

The Pakistan Air Force put on a spectacular air show, with Pakistani, Turkish and Saudi fighter jets flying over Islamabad as thousands of spectators watched from one of the city’s parks.

The new prime minister of Pakistan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, will also oversee a flag-hoisting ceremony at the country’s parliament followed by a military parade and a 31-gun salute.

Why is there tension between India and Pakistan?

An aerobatic team performs during celebrations to mark the country’s Independence Day in Islamabad

Pakistan gained independence when the departing British left India and split the subcontinent in 1947, sparking one of the most violent upheavals of the 20th century.

For the Pakistanis, the anniversary comes amid political turmoil that has characterized successive civilian governments of the country, which has been dominated by military rule through much of its history.

Millions were uprooted in one of the largest mass migrations in history, with experts estimating at least one million died in the communal violence unleashed by partition.

The carnage sowed the seeds of the acrimony that led to three wars, and generations later this defining moment in the subcontinent’s history is still polarised by nationalism and rancour.

The countries still wrangle over a large part of their shared border, especially in disputed Kashmir.

How is Google doodle celebrating India’s Independence Day?

Google celebrated Indian Independence Day 2017 with this Google Doodle

Google has celebrated Indian Independence Day every single year since 2003 with a Google Doodle on its Indian homepage.

Marking 70 years of India’s freedom from British rule, Google made a doodle of the motif of the Indian Parliament, a symbolic wheel for the Ashok Chakra, the country’s national bird – the peacock – and making it all come alive in shades of colours from the national flag.

In 1998, the search engine founders Larry and Sergey drew a stick figure behind the second ‘o’ of Google as a message to that they were out of office at the Burning Man festival and with that, Google Doodles were born.

The company decided that they should decorate the logo to mark cultural moments and it soon became clear that users really enjoyed the change to the Google homepage.

In that same year, a turkey was added to Thanksgiving and two pumpkins appeared as the ‘o’s for Halloween the following year.

Now, there is a full team of doodlers, illustrators, graphic designers, animators and classically trained artists who help create what you see on those days.

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